Ashes, Ashes
by Dream Fox
Summary: YAOI, KxH: When Kurama dies a gruesome death, Hiei feels responsible. But, because of unexplainable events, they have lost track of his soul! Now, not only is he not Youko Kurama, but they can't even find him!*Complete*
1. Ring

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer applies…

Warning: contains yaoi and death

Ring around the rosey…

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Kurama dodged the demon's blow, feigning to the left slightly, bouncing off the wall, and flying back at the demon's face. The nine-foot, cat demon brought up its huge paw, slamming Kurama into the wall. When he hit the barrier, red haired demon cringed a little, curling to a little ball in pain.

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Pockets full of poesy…

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Kurama!" Hiei cried, throwing out his sword in a desperate attempt to help his pained friend. But his own wounds were deep, and he could barely manage to stand, let alone hurt the powerful demon by himself. 'If only Yusuke and Kuwabara were here,' the fire demon thought distressed. 'But, no… they're not. Don't think of what-ifs, Hiei!'

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Ashes, ashes…

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Tossing Hiei aside in a careless sweep, the barbaric cat demon turned its attention back to the helpless Kurama. He swatted him again, throwing him once more to the ground as blood spurted out of the fox's mouth. He didn't even have enough youki to turn into Youko Kurama…

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

We all fall DOWN!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hiei looked up franticly, trying with all his might to muster up enough strength to help his nearly unconscious friend, but to no avail. The cat scooped Kurama up in one paw pinning the fox up against the wall. Hiei suddenly knew what the cat demon had in mind. "No!" Hiei cried, pulling himself up despite the blood that flew out from his cut in large quantities. Then as Hiei watched, the cat demon grinned mercilessly, and flexed his paws. His claws shot out of his paw and straight into the body of Kurama. The fox demon's eyes opened again, suddenly very wide. And as blood burst from everywhere in his body as the pearl white claws went right through his chest, he fell to the ground, dead.

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Kurama was swimming. 'No,' he thought sleepily. 'It's not swimming…it's more like floating. Careless and free as a bird.'

But he opened his eyes… and everything fell back into place. He was dead, floating above his body slowly as the cat demon that had killed him, released his empty corpse, which fell to the hard ground lifelessly. Well, naturally it was lifeless. If it hadn't been, he'd be even more worried, considering he was up here. 

He straightened himself out, so he wasn't facing downwards, which made him remarkably queasy. Things had seemed to slow down when he was dead. His mind flashed quickly over the thought of whether or not it had been the same for Yusuke. He shook his head a grinned a little to himself, smiling at his own foolishness. Here he was, dead as a doornail, and he was wondering whether or not it was the same experience for everyone. Well, he was no stranger to death, his own or anyone else's. A bit sad, really, but there was nothing he could do about it.

The sky seemed to darken a little suddenly, as lightning flashed across the open plane of blue. But judging my the two fighting demon's lack of reaction, Kurama assumed it was something that only he could see, or at least only ghosts and spirits could see. From the center of the torrent of clouds, a slim figure emerged, sitting atop an oar, in a pretty pink colored dress with a blue sash tied around her waist, that went remarkably well with her blue hair.

"Hello, Botan," Kurama said, smiling a little at the girl who floated next to him.

The girl smiled sadly at the dead half-breed. "Hello, Kurama," she said softly, as if trying not to frighten him.

He lay back to look up at the sky, resting his head in the creases of his elbows, left leg crossed over the other. "So, I'm dead, ne?"

"Yes," Botan answer hesitantly. "But it's not permanent."

"Yeah," Kurama said, thoughtfully. "I'm supposed to be reincarnated, right?"

"Uh-huh, but with your particular case, you'll still have the same memories and body as your Youko one. You're basically being reborn, not reincarnated at all. Nothing to worry about!" she said with fake cheerfulness, trying desperately to brighten the redhead's spirits.

"But, Botan," Kurama said softly, still staring up at the sky. "I don't want to remember." 'Not if Hiei doesn't…'

"What was that, Kurama?" Botan said, leaning forward to hear the dead demon's words.

"Nothing," Kurama said, shaking his head and sitting up straight. "Well, it's time to go isn't it?" he said, also doing his best to be cheerful.

Suddenly, a burst of light flashed from the ground, temporarily blinding both the demon and the ferry girl. When they both were able to open their eyes, something odd had happened. A vine had curled itself around one of Kurama's legs and was desperately trying to pull the spirit back down to earth.

"Botan!" Kurama cried franticly, clutching air to try and keep himself from being sucked down to the ground. The blue haired girl grabbed one of his hands, trying with all her strength to hold him up.

But the ferry pilot had never been very strong, and their attempt was fruitless. Kurama's sleeve ripped and he fell through her fingers, tumbling to the earth below. The last she ever saw of the lovable demon was his hand reaching up to her and the fear on his face as he was sucked into the ground.

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"I know he's dead!" Hiei roared at the very frightened ferry girl. "I can learn to except that. But you lost his SOUL too?!?!"

"Now, now, Hiei," Botan said, franticly trying to calm the furious demon down. "It was an honest mistake! Anyone could have made it!"

"Yes," Koenma said, speaking up from his desk. "These things DO happen once in a while, Hiei. I have my best soul searchers out right now looking for him. We'll find him, don't worry!"

He was received by a growl.

"Cool down, Hiei," Yusuke told him. "I know you're feeling guilty about not being able to save Kurama, but I'm sure he doesn't blame you at all! We're all sure you tried your best."

"Yes, and you DID end up killing the target," Koenma put in.

"Who CARES?!?!" Hiei yelled at him. "Kurama's DEAD, and here you are, acting like everything's just fine, so long as the target's dead!"

He stood up abruptly, knocking over a pile of papers, and stomped out of the office, slamming the huge door behind him. Botan stood, intending to go after the mad fire demon, but Yusuke pushed her back down into her chair with one hand. "Let him go. Hiei's just on a guilt trip right now. He'll be better once he sees that Kurama's fine."

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Hiei sat at the top of the tree, foaming in anger. 'Damn them all! And I'm supposed to be the heartless one! They don't care about him at all!'

He looked over at the window into Kurama's old room. 'No, not old,' Hiei thought, correcting himself. 'It's still his room! So long as his soul's out there! We'll find him!'

'Who am I kidding?' Hiei thought, looking back up at the sky. 'Even if he does come back, things will never be the same. Are relationship was strained then. I hate to think how he'll think of me after I've let him die. All because I rejected his love…'

'Don't dwell on the past, Hiei!' he thought yelled at himself. 'It won't do any good.'

Standing up on his tree branch, he looked out over the town, with the bright colors from the houses lighting up the night sky. "We'll find you, Kurama," he mumbled to himself. "We'll find you…"

But they never did

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This is NOT the end! If I fixed it up a bit and things, it might make a good one shot. But because I really hate most one shots, I'm making this one longer! IT IS NOT FINISHED!!!

Actually, I got this idea from the rhyme 'Ring Around the Rosey.' Did you know the rhyme is actually about death? Yeah, it's about the Black Plague in England. A little disturbing to think we sung this joyously as little kids…

If you like this story, you might like some of my other YYH stuff. This one's a little darker then my others, and it's the only one that's actually real yaoi, but hey. Most of my fans are all for Kurama/Hiei, even if my story isn't actually centered on their relationship…

That's all for now!

Dream Fox


	2. Around

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer applies…

Warning: This story contains yaoi, but is not a lemon!

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Hiei didn't look a day older then the day Kurama's soul disappeared. For that matter, he didn't look a day older then Kurama had met him, at all. The fire demon never seemed to age at all. It was as if he was trapped in time. Frozen, in an endless ring and preserved in a block of ice.

He sat by Koenma's desk, slouched down in the chair, his legs blocking his face from view. If you had been able to see the demon's face, all you would have been able to see was a scowl, the normal expression he always bared. But he bore it well and seemed to match his angry spirit perfectly. They were being sent on another mission, and this time it was unlikely it would involve any fighting at all. This was, naturally, the cause of his discontent.

'I'm still looking for Kurama's soul!' Hiei thought angrily. 'I haven't given up that mission yet, even if everyone else has!' But he knew, somewhere deep in the buried depths of his heart, that he would probably never see the fox again. Yusuke and the others, although it would kill them to admit it, had long ago given up the search. Fourteen years was long enough. The soul was gone and there was nothing they could do. Whether it was taken to a torturous hell or pulled into oblivion, they would probably never know. Kurama was gone, and as much as they hated it, that was that.

Hiei, being the stubborn one of the group, always continued with his search. Continuously searching through soul banks and looking at the list of lost souls that had been spotted or found, the fire demon had not yet given up. But fourteen years was a fair amount of time, particularly for an impatient fire demon. Even he would not search forever. And one day, the fruitless search would end entirely and Kurama's chances of ever being found will drop significantly, to almost nothing.

"So what's this new mission you have for us, pacifier breath?" Yusuke asked the small toddler of a demi-god. The fourteen years had barely effected the childlike god at all, making him seem like Hiei, a never aging creature. He would age, but for a fifteen hundred year old god, the aging process might take a while.

Yusuke on the other hand had changed drastically in looks, but little in personality. Still unruly and wild, forever being the punk he would probably always be. At thirty, Yusuke was still a bachelor , although with his fifteen year steady girlfriend Keiko, there was little doubts as to who he would marry. Well, perhaps "steady" is not quite the word for it. Their relationship was rocky, as everyone's relationship with Yusuke's was. But that's just the way he was. Everyone was constantly getting furiously mad at him, and just a few hours later making up through either kisses (from Keiko) or acceptance. But there you have it. Yusuke was Yusuke and he would probably never change.

"We've found a boy living in the human world, with an tremendous amount of spirit energy. He's radiating it constantly and there's so much of it, he's causing a bit of trouble. Demons are starting to spot him and we've got to teach him how to control it before he gets captured and killed by some kind of ki eating demon," Koenma told the rest of the group through his blue pacifier. 

Kuwabara nodded sympathetically, sympathizing with the kid. With his own powers as a child, he had often had it a bit rough himself and so immediately felt a warm hearted passion for anyone else who had gone through similar experiences, Hiei excluded, of course.

The red haired boy was one person who had changed drastically over the fourteen years. Although he was still a fabulous fighter, his toughness had diminished greatly over that time. He was more somber, and if not polite, then certainly not ill-mannered. Just five years after Kurama's disappearance, Yukina and he had married, unsurprisingly, and were now living in the human world in a small house by Genkai's temple.

Yukina herself had changed little, too. Like Hiei, her body seemed for the most part completely preserved, trapped in time. But most demons were like that. Motherhood had agreed with her though, and she and Kuwabara had twins, Abilina and Nento, both sweet and kind, but with enough power to punch a significantly large size hole in the wall. When the six year olds were old enough, they would be a wonderful addition to the group of spirit detectives.

"What are the details?" Botan asked. The river pilot had changed little also, but that was only natural for a spirit. If anything she had become a bit more softhearted toward the group, only hitting Yusuke with her oar about once a day. It was a major improvement from the typical five times.

"The boy's name is Eino Masaki and he's fourteen years old last April. He lives in Tokyo, Japan with his mother and two little sisters, ages ten and seven. His father was in a car crash five years ago and died."

"Wonderful!" Hiei said sarcastically, speaking up from his chair. "Another death saddened child! Weak human children…"

"Actually, his father's death had little effect on him. It's unknown why but they never really got along. His father was just never fond of him."

"Hn," Hiei responded, looking away with a huff.

"When do we leave?" Kuwabara asked the demigod.

"Tomorrow morning," Koenma told him. "You're going to have get there the typical way and drive. It'll be much easier that way and it only takes a few hours. I'll have Botan give you more information as we get it."

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Eino walked down the dirt path, kicking gravel as he went. 'I hate school!' he thought irritably. 'I know everything there! Who made those text books anyway? First graders? No one can blame me for skipping school if I get A+ on all my tests and grades.'

He glumly kicked a small chunk of dirt, making it fly across the ground with a series of thwacks. Suddenly, he noticed something odd. That vine there, by that Dragon Tree (a/n: I have a Dragon Tree in my room, right beside where I'm typing!), it wasn't any species he recognized. 

'That's strange,' he puzzled to himself, taking a step closer. 'I've always known a lot about plants, but I don't remember ever seeing or hearing of one that looked like that.'

He leaned down, stretching out his hand to brush the rims of one of the leaf's edges. Suddenly, the plant leaned toward him and made a funny snapping noise, causing him to quickly pull his hand back in fright, tumbling down onto his bottom. 'It's just the wind,' he told himself panicked. 'It's just the wind, that's all it is…'

Then he heard a crunch behind him. Standing up and whirling around, Eino's eyes suddenly snapped around to the place where the crunch had come from. There, standing just ten feet away was one of the most hideous creatures he had ever seen. It resembled a human for the most part, but it had a long green scaled tail that waved back and forth behind it.  Its hair was bright blue and its eyes glowed purple, making them sparkle and glimmer in the dark of the overhanging trees. But the creature's teeth were the most horrifying part, with each carnivorous one hanging out of its mouth like a saber tooth tiger's, gleaming white like a well shinned pearl.

"W-who are you?" Eino half stuttered, half demanded.

"Your last visitor, my tasty meal," the creature growled, licking its long teeth and slowly advancing.

'Meal? What does he mean?' Eino wanted to ask, taking a quick step backwards. But before he could do so much as ask the question, a black flash flew out of the trees, in a blurry speed, impossible to see.

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Hey again!

Okay, new chapter up! The story is starting to get a little less dark, but that's okay. My writing style tends to be not quite as dark as the last chapter.

I hope you guys didn't find the descriptions to boring. I just wanted to let everyone know how the characters acted now. I really didn't want to turn this into a future fic so far from the original time of the series, but that was the best way to set up the story… oh well!

New chapter will probably be up on Tuesday the 3rd, but if not, then on the Thursday after! It might be on Thursday because with the end of the school year coming up, we're having a load of tests!!!

That's all for now!

Dream Fox


	3. The Rosy

Disclaimer: Stanyard declimmer uplies

'What?!' Eino thought franticly, a black shadow flying out from one of the overhanging trees. 'What's going on?'

"I see we arrived just in time," a voice said from his left, and Eino swung around to meet it, as did the odd looking beast, now looking nearly as frightened as he was.

The person who spoke stepped out of the shadows. It was a man, about 25 or so, with fuzzy black hair and deep brown eyes. He wore a green jacket that hung loosely around him, orange trimming hugging the edges. The man grinned cruelly at the creature, as both it and the boy took a frightened step away from him.

"Going somewhere?" another voice asked, this one deeper. The beast and the boy both turned around quickly and the monster found himself face to face with a large, orange haired man, who was smiling coldly at it.

Suddenly, in a speed Eino could hardly see, he took an upper left cut right into the creature's jaw. He flew backwards towards a particularly large tree, but before he could hit, the black blur was back.

Slowing down just enough for Eino to catch a glimpse of it, it was a boy with black hair and a starburst of white bangs, wearing an odd array of black clothes and a few white cloths clinging here and there.

The black haired boy quickly pulled out a silver bladed sword, and before either the monster or Eino had time to blink, the creature was cut down the middle in perfect symmetry. Feeling a sudden urge to throw up, Eino watched as blue blood and an odd array of other unpleasant things flew from the demons body, splattering little droplets on his skin and clothes, where they sizzled slightly before disappearing.

For a moment Eino could only stare at the dead creature's lifeless corpse, still in a state of shock. Then, he remembered the rest of the people, be they freaks like that beast or human, standing a few yards away and closely watching him.

Taking a quick step backwards, Eino threw his two arms up in a guard position and demanded, "Who are you? What do you want?"

The green jacket one smirked slightly at him. "Don't worry. We won't hurt you."

"And I'm supposed to believe you?" Eino asked, but he let his guard down slightly. There was just something about them that made him want to relax. Something in the air about these three just seemed so normal; so familiar. 'No time to let yourself relax, Eino!' he scolded himself. 'You don't know what kind of beast these ones are.'

"Isn't our saving you enough?" the orange haired one demanded.

Eino looked up sharply at him. "Just because you saved me doesn't mean your good. You might just want me for your own reasons!"

The red head took a startled step backwards. 'Weird kid,' he thought to himself. 'Seems really street wise for a fourteen year old.'

"Relax," the same black haired guy told Eino.

"Don't tell him to relax if he doesn't want to," the other black haired kid said, speaking up for the first time from his perch at the top of one of the trees. "He has every right to be nervous. He was just attacked by a demon, you know. And it's his first contact with the other worlds." Eino frowned at his comment, but didn't say anything.

"Lighten up, Hiei," the green jacket kid said. 

'Hiei,' I thought. 'So that's his name. Odd. I think I know someone else with the same name.'

"Hey kid," the black haired called to Eino, taking a couple steps closer. "Name's Yusuke. That's Kuwabara," he said, motioning to the red haired. Then jerking his head toward the black clothed kid, said, "That's Hiei."

"Hn," Hiei responded.

"I'm Eino Masaki," he told them, bobbing his head lightly in greeting.

"We know," Hiei said, hopping down from his tree branch without so much as a soft thud as he hit the ground.

"What?" Eino asked, frowning slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Eino," Yusuke said, motion to him. "We have a LOT we need to talk about."

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"Let me get this straight," Eino said sarcastically, watching the trio of odd boys carefully. "You three are spirit detectives from another world and have strange, paranormal abilities. That…. THING that just tried to eat me is a demon from one of these other worlds and was trying to feed off of my own spirit energy, which I have a large abundance of?" He stopped at Yusuke nodded his head encouragingly. Then he snorted and looked away. "Yeah… right. Next thing you'll be telling me is Hiei here is another demon from one of these other worlds who used to be evil but saw the err of his ways and became a hero fighting for the side of justice."

"Er.." Yusuke stuttered. "He IS… basically.

"Hn" Hiei protested from his perch on the tree branch. "I did not see the err of my ways, I am STILL a death, killing demon. And I'd hardly say that you two fight 'for the side of justice.'"

"Anyway," Yusuke said to Eino with a roll of his eyes. "It is true. How else would you explain that demon? He certainly wasn't normal, even a normal human would be able to see that."

"Maybe," Eino told him skeptically. "But it could have just been a mutation."

"I'VE never seen a mutation like that," Kuwabara said.

"Hn," Eino huffed, doing a remarkable imitation of Hiei's own 'hn.' "Even if there were demons and you guys are a group of spirit world superheroes, I certainly have nothing to do with it. There's no way I have superpowers. And even if I did, I wouldn't use them. Thank you for helping me with that demon, but I have to be going now. Bye," he waved as he turned around and started walking away."

"What if the demons come back?" Hiei's deep voice said from the tree branch, stopping Eino in his tracks. "They won't just go away, you know, not with the amount of spirit energy you're giving out. " Yusuke saw Eino shiver slightly. "Demons want energy, and they don't care what they have to do to get it. They'll come after you, your friends, your family. Maybe even your sisters." No one knew the loneliness of not having a sister like Hiei. He had searched for years to find Yukina, and even then it had taken even more time to get up the nerve to tell her. Now, he would do anything for his only close family member.

After a moment of silence, Eino sighed heavily and turned slowly around. "Fine," he told the three irritated. "I'll do it. But it's not that I want to, or anything. I'm not training because you asked. I'm only doing this to keep the demons from getting my sisters."

"Eino Masaki," Yusuke said taking a step forward as he held out his hand and grinned from ear to ear like a cat who got the canary. "Welcome to the Spirit Detectives."

And with a side-wards thought, Yusuke made a mental note to have Hiei do all the bargaining from here on out.

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Hey everyone!

You won't believe what I just did!!! My hair used to be down to my bottom, so it was just a few inches short of touching the chair when I sat, but I just cut it up to my shoulders! My head feels so free! I didn't totally cut it all to my shoulders, I left the bangs long, so it came down at a slant. It looks really awesome!

Not much to say today. My dog's supposed to die any day from cancer. We're thinking about putting him to sleep tomorrow. I don't want him to die, but I don't want him to suffer for the remainder of his life.

The good news is my family's going to be getting another dog soon, maybe a puppy. That'll be fun. We're going dog shopping this weekend. I want to get another lab, and because I live on a horse ranch with long grass, we'd almost have to.

Anyhow, that's all for now. If you like this story, you should read my other stuff, particularly my main story, 'Fox Child.'

Talk soon,

Dream Fox

  
 


	4. Pockets

Disclaimer: I laugh.

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"Eino, just try!" Yusuke whined to the young boy as they sat in the middle of Genkai's training room.

"I AM trying," Eino snapped back. "I've never done this before, it's not exactly easy you know."

"Give the kid a break," Kuwabara told Yusuke from across the room where he was leaning. "He's right, it's not exactly easy to expand spirit energy."

Eino opened one eye and shot a glaring look across to Kuwabara, "I don't need YOUR support, thank you very much. I'm perfectly capable of defending myself, BY myself."

Yusuke burst out laughing at this remark. "He sounds just like you, Hiei!" he laughed, glancing over at the black cloaked demon who sat on the floor across the room from Kuwabara, as far as possible from the red-haired giant. Time had defiantly not improved their relationship.

Hiei looked away toward the door with an emotionless "hn" not even trying to deny anything. But as Yusuke and Eino continued to practice, he couldn't help but let his eyes drift back toward the two of them.

'There's something very suspicious about that boy,' Hiei thought to himself. 'Something out of place. It's not like something's missing, it's like his energy isn't in line with his body or something. This isn't as simple of a case as it looks. Better keep an eye out.' The, focusing his actually consciousness more on what they were actually saying, the fire demon listened in on the two of them work.

"Excellent, excellent!" Yusuke congratulated the child, as the younger one furrowed his eyebrow and forehead in concentration. "Now, you're getting the hang of it. Just open up your circle a bit more, so we can get a good look at what kind of energy you have!"

Suddenly, there was a bright burst of green light. Yusuke and Kuwabara ducked behind their held out arms in an attempt to block it out and keep their eyes from being fried. Hiei, on the other hand, was so surprised by what he saw, he couldn't help but stare in shock and disbelief.

When the light finally died down, Yusuke and Kuwabara let their hands drop back down to their sides. 'That was Eino's ki? God, Koenma wasn't kidding when he said that the kid's incredible!' "Gosh, Eino," Yusuke said jokingly, looking back over at the boy who now had a swirling fog of green light surrounding his small body. "When I said to expand your aura I didn't mean that much!"

Suddenly, his eyes caught something. Eino leaned forward, trying to figure out what was clicking in the young man's head. Hiei took a shocked step forwards, over to Yusuke's side. "Yusuke," he whispered, so the spirit detective could barely hear. "Do you see it too?"

"That isn't….?" Yusuke began, but he couldn't seem to get all the words out, and stopped in mid sentence. The two just stood there and starred at him, leaving a very confused Eino and Kuwabara to try and puzzle out what in the seven hells was going on.

"Yusuke?" Eino asked, leaning forward, trying to catch his eyes. "Are you okay? What's the matter?"

Yusuke, finally getting a hold of himself and realizing what was going on, blinked twice in realization. Then he laughed nervously. "Nothing's wrong!" he smiled overly cheerful all of the sudden. "Nothing at all!"

Sensing something was wrong, Eino wouldn't let the matter be dropped so quickly. "But you just-"

"Who cares what I just said?" Yusuke laughed again, in an effort to be funny. "It's in the past, isn't it?"

Then, with a deliberate look at his watch, the spirit detective said, "Oh my, just look at the time! Isn't this about the time you should get going?" he hinted obviously.

Eino protested as Yusuke began to drag him to the door, "No, it's the middle of school hours right now! Mom doesn't expect me home until-"

"Ah well, you should really be getting to school then! Don't want to miss class and not get into a university, do you?!" Yusuke laughed.

"But Urameshi!" a very confused Kuwabara followed them toward the door. "We used to do the same thing all of the-"

Yusuke suddenly cut his friend of with a hand flying out toward his mouth. "Yes," he said, clearing his throat, "well, we've got things to do, places to go, people to see! We'll meet you here tomorrow at four, okay?"

"Er, yeah," Eino agreed, stepping out the door, "but-"

"Alright, then see you tomorrow!" Yusuke cried, slamming the door behind him

Eino stood outside on the stone stairs, finishing up his sentence to a closed door. "But I already have plans……"

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Yusuke stood gasping in the door way, letting go of Kuwabara, as he slid to the floor in a pile. Hiei walked over to join them.

"You saw it too?" the fire demon asked the spirit detective.

"Saw what?" Kuwabara asked, glancing back and forth between the two of them.

"Yeah," Yusuke nodded, starring at the floor. "That's just not normal!"

"What isn't?" Kuwabara demanded.

"Maybe so, but he's got it," Hiei said to Yusuke impassivly.

"Got WHAT?!?!" Kuwabara yelped, fed up with the confusing conversation 

Yusuke looked over at the red head slowly. Then taking a deep breath and standing up, he told him, "Eino hasn't got human ki. He's got youki."

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Hey everyone!

I like this chapter, and it was pretty easy to write too. I've been in a bit of a writers slump for a while, which you'd know if you'd read any of my other stories. I've been updating barely at all, and when I do, they're short chapters. Now that I've got a good idea for this story, though, it should be a little bit easier. 

While my next chapter idea is pretty much already thought out, I'm going on a little vacation soon, so my new chapter won't be up until Tuesday the 24th. I know that's a while, but it's really the best I can do. Sorry!

And let me just give you a little warning. While the plotline may seem fairly obvious, and you may thing Eino is Kurama, I would suggest not assuming that. Not everything is exactly what it appears…..

Ja ne,

Dream Fox


	5. Full Of

Disclaimer: yada yada yada….

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Eino grinned ruefully at his friend. "Sorry about this, Mido, but I've really got to stop by here before we go over to my house."

Mido grinned back, giving his friend a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it. You would have done the same for me, right? Take your time. Today's a Friday after all, we can always get together tomorrow or something."

"Thanks, man," Eino told Mido sincerely, his eyes softening at the sight of his best friends kindness. 

Mido turned away to look at the city below the road they were walking on, whistling a merry tune that he made up as he went. Eino studied his friend thoughtfully. The two looked like complete opposites, with Eino's short, black hair, and small body, with skin as copper as a penny. Mido on the other hand, had wispy, light brown hair and a medium height, and skin as light crème as Eino's was coppery. Mido claimed that he was a quarter American, that his Grandfather on his mom's side came over in the 1950's for some sort of business thing, but after he met his Grandmother, fell in love and never left, not even to get his stuff. "Ironic what love can do to a person," Mido had said thoughtfully when he had told Eino the story.

As far as personalities went, the two weren't quite as different, but not as similar as they could have been. Eino, as was easy to tell, was loud and tough, while his friend was quiet and polite almost to a fault. Both of them were extremely smart, but while Eino was constantly cutting school out of boredom, Mido found school fascinating, ancient history being his favorite subject. Whenever asked why, he would simply shrug and reply, "because it's gone and it won't ever happen again. We don't have to worry about barbarians or samurai anymore. Swords and weapons are a thing of the past. The world was so warlike back then, it makes me have a high respect for the peacefulness we have now." 

Their home lives on the other hand, were literally opposites. While Eino's father was dead, his mother loved him very much, and his sisters, while more often then not they drove him insane, were Eino's life. Mido's home life, was the worst imaginable. His mother had abandoned him when he was four, and it had driven his father to become drunk more often then he was sober. And although Mido would deny it all he could, it was obvious his father would beat him when he became angery. Eino had often seen his friend come to school with bruises and black eyes, although the brown haired would laugh it off and say things like he had fallen down the stairs, or out of his bed. He couldn't fool Eino, though. Mido never messed up and was much too graceful to ever fall off a stool. But Eino had always been told to keep his nose out of other people's business and his figured that when Mido was ready, he'd do something about it. Perhaps this was not the wisest course of action, but Eino was never one to do things the normal way.

"It's right up here," Eino stopped, pointing up a set of long stairs by the road.

Mido stopped too, looking up the stairs skeptically, "A temple? Eino, don't take this the wrong way, but you never striked me as the religious type."

Eino rolled his eyes, grabbing his friend's hand to pull him up as they started their way up the long temple steps. "Ha, ha, ha. I'm not going there to PRAY, you idiot, I was supposed to meet some people here."

"Ah," Mido knowingly nodded, in a mocking manner. "And why, exactly, do you have to meet them at a temple?"

"Iamtakingsomelessonshere," Eino slurred together, reluctant to reveal the truth due to embarrassment.

"Lessons?" Mido asked, raising a brown eyebrow delicately. "What kind of lessons? Self defense?"

"Kind of," Eino said, still blushing, trying to avoid Mido's interested gaze.

"Ah. You'll have to let me know how they go then. I'd be interested in taking some myself." But Mido let the subject drop, knowing his friend's embarrassment, and concentrated on the stairs.

After a few minutes of silence, Eino heard a call from the top. "Eino!" someone cried. "Over here!" Eino looked around, and spotting a body lying in the shade of a overhanging tree, strolled over, Mido in tow. Yusuke was lying with his back against the tree, and as Eino looked up, spotted Hiei high up in a tree branch, looking down at him speculatively.

"Where's Kuwabara?" he asked Yusuke as the young man stood up, brushing off his jeans. 

"Couldn't make it today," Yusuke told him. Then, noticing Mido standing behind the other youth, asked, "who's this?"

Eino stepped side-wards, allowing his friend to take a timid step forwards. "This is Mido," he said motioning. "Mido, this is Yusuke, and that," he pointed up at the smaller of the two, "is Hiei."

Hiei "hn"ed, that could only be taken as a greeting, but Yusuke stepped forward and extended a hand to the brown haired. "Hey, Mido."

Mido smiled at Yusuke, grateful for the kindness. "Nice to meet you," he told Yusuke quietly.

"I tried to tell you last time that I had plans today, but I left so quickly, I didn't have a chance," Eino told Yusuke.

The older blushed slightly. "Sorry about that."

Eino smiled, trying to soothe the other's embarrassment. "That's fine, but can we get together another time?"

"Sure," Yusuke said, grateful for a way out. "How about tomorrow at two?"

"Sounds good. See you later!" Eino said, turning around and starting back.

Mido gave a little wave, and cried up into the tree, "bye, Hiei!" who nearly fell out of the tree in surprise. 

The demon and the human watched as the two boys walked away, trotting down the stairs, chatting happily.

"Oh well," Yusuke said, leaning back against the tree again and closing his eyes. "So much for today's lesson."

Hiei continued to watch the two though as they left. "There's something weird about him," he said quietly.

"Well, YEAH," Yusuke said sarcastically, not bothering to open his eyes. "He's a human and he's got youki."

"No, not him," Hiei said, shaking his head thoughtfully, still staring off to where the two were once standing. "The other one, Mido. There's something odd about him, too."

This caught Yusuke's attention. "Really?" he asked, looking up. "What?"

"I don't know," Hiei said. "But I'll keep an eye on him. We'll find something out."

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Hello again!

New chapter up! Another will probably be up on Friday the 27th, give or take a day. 

I keep telling you guys, don't assume that Eino's Kurama! Things aren't as obvious as they might seem!

-Dream Fox


	6. Posey

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer applies….

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"Botan!" Yusuke cried from his sitting position on the floor of the temple ground as the spirit guide flew in on her oar, dropping gracefully to the ground in a dainty hop. Switching her oar into her right hand, she made it vanish in a quick flash of light.

Yusuke stood up to meet her, not liking to address people from the floor, and Eino, sensing his teacher's change in attention, opened his eyes and stood up next to the young man. Kuwabara walked over from the place he had been sitting, but Hiei remained with his eyes closed, leaning against the wall, arms crossed as though he were irritated with the whole situation.

"Hello, Yusuke!" Botan greeted cheerfully. Then, noticing Eino standing beside him, eyes wide in amusement, quickly became more sober, an odd expression for the overly enthusiastic river guide. 

Yusuke, noticing Botan's expression, stepped forward to make introductions. "Eino, this is Botan, guide of the river Styx and all around destructive weirdo." He was received by a large bump on the head by Botan's oar, which had sudden materialized and became tangible again. TOO tangible in Yusuke's opinion. "See what I mean?" he asked Eino, wincing in pain as he nursed his sore head.

"Nice to meet you," Eino introduced politely, holding out his hand. Botan looked at it for a moment then returned the kindness by shaking it and giving him a small smile.

After the introductions, Yusuke interrupted, "So what's goin' on? Anything up in the realm of the dead?" smiling a bit at his name for the spirit world.

Botan ignored his teasing comment, shaking her head slightly. "Nothing huge. No major fights or anything you have to worry about. But Koenma needs to talk to you and he sent me to find you. ALL of you, he said, motioning to Kuwabara and Hiei with a tilt of her head."

"Sure," Yusuke shrugged casually. "We'll just finish Eino's lesson and we'll be on our way."

Botan shook her head. "No can do. I've got specific orders from Koenma himself that you're supposed to come now, no procrastinating."

Yusuke looked apologetically down at Eino. "Sorry about this," he told him guiltily. "We'll have to get together later."

"That's alright," Eino told him, heading toward the door and picking his bag. "Don't worry about it. We can finish another time. How about tomorrow? Same time?"

"Sure," Yusuke told him as he stepped out the door and into the heat. Eino, taking this as a goodbye, closed the door behind him. "Don't forget to practice your exercises!" Yusuke called through the door, and could see the outline of Eino's body as it walked away through the paper door.

"Okay!" Yusuke said enthusiastically. "To spirit world it is!" as he began to walk over to the other door, Kuwabara and Botan in tow. When they reached the doorway, Yusuke looked back, noticing Hiei wasn't fallowing, only standing there, leaning against the wall in exactly the same position as he had been in before.

"Hey, Shrimp!" Kuwabara called. His manner may have improved, but he still kept the same names for the smallest one of the group. "You coming or not?"

"You go ahead," Hiei growled from his post. "I have better things to do with my time then meet with the Toddler again for a new mission. It'd probably just be as boring as this one."

"Fine, don't come," Botan said, walking through the doorway, nose in the air superior. "But you're going to regret it as soon as you know who it's about."

Hiei's eyes widened and he quickly looked up. "Kurama?" he asked rapidly. "It'd about Kurama?"

Botan smiled back at him, a rare thing for people to do to the feisty, fire demon. "You won't know until you come!" and with that she trotted outside, bouncing happily, a satisfied grin plastered on her face. After all, it wasn't everyday you got to tell off a fire demon, particularly one as "perfect" as Hiei.

Yusuke and Kuwabara fallowed her, but Hiei hung back for a moment. After ten seconds (he counted) he walked slowly after them. After all, he didn't want to give Botan total satisfaction of correcting him.

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"What's this about Kurama?" Hiei demanded, standing in front of Koenma's desk, arms crossed, giving the young prince a "if-you-don'-tell-me-I'll-make-sure-you-die-a-slow-and-painful-death" look. 

Koenma winced slightly, but gave Hiei a large and cheerful smile. "What? What?" Yusuke demanded. "Tell us already!"

"I've found Kurama!" Koenma cried happily.

Hiei's jaw went slack in surprise as Yusuke leapt around the room in joy. "You found him?" Hiei said, his surprise turning into a rare smile, his eyes widening in happiness. "You really know where he is?"

"Yup!" Koenma cried, laughing a little at Yusuke's antics, who was now dancing around the room with a startled Botan, who was for once letting Yusuke have his fun. 

"Where is he?!" Hiei cried, leaning onto Koenma's desk, giving him a frantic look. "Quick, tell us where he is!"

"It just so happens that you already know him!"

"Who is it, then?" Hiei asked quickly. 'I don't know anyone at all like Kurama!'

"It's Eino."

Yusuke immediately stopped dancing. "WHAT?!?!" they all cried.

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Hello!

New chapter up, just like I promised! Another one will probably be up next Tuesday or Thursday, I'm not sure which. I keep procrastinating though, because it's too hot to be typing on a laptop, which just makes the room even more hot!

Don't assume anything! Eino isn't necessarily Kurama, but neither is Mido! Don't get your hopes up….

Chat soon, and let me know what you think!

Dream Fox


	7. Ashes, Ashes

Disclaimer: Yeah……..

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"Eino's Kurama?!" Yusuke cried, no horror or any other emotion showing in his face, other then shock. Hiei, too, was looking at Koenma in bewilderment, unable to utter any words. 

"Uh huh," Koenma told them, smiling through his pacifier. "After much deduction work, we are finally confident of this fact."

"Wait," Hiei asked suspiciously, half fearing that this entire thing was one whole scam. "What do you mean by 'deduction work?'"

"Well," Koenma told him, shrugging lightly. "There's no actually PROOF that he's Kurama. We haven't found his soul inside Eino's body or anything. But really there's no other possibilities. Think about it: their energy is incredibly similar, not to mention that Eino has youki instead of ki. There's really not that many possibilities when a HUMAN has youki. Not to mention Eino seems to know things that Kurama would have known of. Like, for instance, when he sarcastically told of Hiei's past, and then it turned out to be true. There are really no doubts at all."

"Come on, we've GOT to go talk to Eino … … or … … er … … Kurama… ," Yusuke told Hiei, tugging lightly on the fire demon's arm. Normally this would have been met with a sword to the head, but the black cloaked demon was so dazed, he just fallowed Yusuke, not even coming out of his trance of astonishment.

"Oh, er, boys!" Koenma cried after them, stopping the three spirit detectives to turn around and look at him. "Don't forget that Eino has little, if no, memories that Kurama has. He's a completely different person. You can't expect him to be the same…"

"Oh, we know that," Yusuke told him, trotting off through the palace, heading back to the portal to the human world.

"Why do I feel," Koenma asked Botan as the two watched the three leave, "that I'm making a terrible mistake?"

"Everything having to do with those three," Botan replied smugly, "is a mistake."

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Eino was washing dishes when the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" Andora, his seven year old sister yelled, pounding down the stairs like a herd of elephants. 

"No, you won't!" yelled Canyi, the ten year old, who came slipping and sliding out of the living room, gliding around on her yellow socks, almost crashing into Andora as her sister raced around the corner.

Eino smiled to himself as he scrubbed the leftover pots and pans from dinner, the rushing water drowning out the sounds from the doorway.

"Awww," Canyi whined, sulking back over to Eino. "It's for you, big brother. Some older guy with a big, orange haired man."

'Must be Yusuke and Kuwabara,' Eino thought as he thanked his sister and turned off the running water, drying his hands on a slightly damp towel as he made his way over to the front door.

Yusuke and Kuwabara stood there in the doorway, watching Andora as she proudly showed off some of her yoyo tricks on her new blue yoyo. "And this one's called walk the dog," she told them proudly, letting the yoyo hang in the air for a moment before calling it back to her hand.

"I'm sure they really liked your tricks," Eino told them, cutting in before she could start another. "But I've got to talk to them now. Maybe you could show them more later, okay?"

"Alright," Andora pouted, but obeyed, heading back toward the stairs to her room. "Nice meeting you," she told Yusuke and Kuwabara shyly, before darting around the corner.

"You want to go sit outside?" Eino asked the two of them, turning back around. "We won't be disturbed there."

"Sure," Yusuke told him agreeably. "Cute sisters you've got there."

"Thank you," Eino told him proudly.

Taking a seat on the grass, Eino plopped down as Yusuke took a seat on a stone bench and Kuwabara remained standing, leaning slightly against the bench where Hiei sat, who crossed his arms and legs. Even though he lived in a demon world, sometimes even Hiei felt the need to be slightly superstitious, even though he was on first term names with one of the gods people prayed too. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

"So, what's up? I'm not in trouble or anything, am I?" Eino asked cheerfully, not really believing that at all.

"No, no, nothing like that," Yusuke told him, quickly. Eino, catching the nervousness in his voice, an odd trait for the powerful spirit detective, looked at him carefully.

"What's wrong?" he asked suspiciously, now sure that something was up.

"Er, well, Eino?" Yusuke asked.

"Yes?" he questioned, now becoming nervous himself.

"Have you … erm … that is … do you … what I mean is …" Yusuke stuttered, looking down at the ground, pushing the grass around with his foot,

"What he means is," Hiei cut in sharply, with a quick glare at Yusuke as the spirit detective glanced up at the black haired demon. "Do you have any weird memories. Like memories that don't belong to you?"

Eino looked at Hiei carefully, brows furrowed in an attempt to understand what he was talking about. "No," he shook his head. "I really don't know what you mean."

"Do you remember," Hiei asked, a little more urgently this time, "a red haired boy? He was tall, around 5 feet and 10 inches, and his eyes were a bright green." Hiei started to go off into a daze, and his voice became soft and eyes unfocused. "He was powerful and merciless when it came to his enemies. But he was kind. So kind. His kindness went almost to a fault and got him into more scrapes then he otherwise would have been in. He was soft spoken, and his smile was beautiful. When he smiled at you, it was like the world had suddenly disappeared, and all that was left was that one handsome person, with soft eyes and a smile that would melt even the hardest of ice…."

In a jerk, Hiei pulled himself out of the trance he had put himself into. But someone else had left.

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"Shuichi, where'd you go?"

                                                            "I no longer want part of this alliance."

"How are you feeling mother, Mother?"

                                                            "Kurama! Why'd you do that?"

"I'll be alright, just give me a moment."

                                                            "Just give me one more day."

"Youko Kurama …"

                                                            "Shuichi …"

"Kurama …"

                                                            "Eino …"

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"Eino!"

His body suddenly jolted sharply, and his eyes lost the glazed look, that it had carried. His eyes blinked once … twice … and finally opened. He was looking around at the sky and all around crowded the faces of the three spirit detectives.

Eino sprang up to a sitting position, nearly hitting the heads of the detectives. He looked around confused for a moment, rubbing his head lightly.

Then he looked up at Hiei. "I don't understand," he asked confused and slightly afraid. "What was that? Why do I have these memories? And who're Youko Kurama, Kurama, and Shuichi?"

All three of them starred down at him, as Hiei told him. "They're all the same person. Kurama was are old partner, the forth spirit detective. He died 14 years ago and you, Eino, are his reincarnation.

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Hello everyone!

I'm really sorry that it took me so long!!! I finished this chapter a few days ago, but because of a major schedule change, I haven't had access to a computer that can put up chapters for a few days. SORRY, SORRY, SORRY, SORRY, SORRY!!!!

Plus, it's been the Forth of July, and you know how hectic that can be! I went to the rodeo like I do every year, and that was a lot of fun, like always.

I'll try to get a new chapter up by Thursday, but you all know how unpredictable I can be!

Talk soon,

Dream Fox


	8. We All

Disclaimer: Do we really have to write these anyway? No, I'm serious! Do we? Someone tell me!!!!!!!!!!!

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"Reincarnation….?" Eino starred at Hiei, then glanced over at Yusuke and Hiei, trying to find some kind of a hint. Then he tried a weak grin at them. "You're joking right? Come on you guys. The jokes over now. You can stop pretending …"

"We're not joking, Eino," Yusuke told him, dead serious, an odd expression for the usually comical detective. Eino's grin slipped from his face.

"I can't be a reincarnation," he whispered, half to himself, just loud enough for the other three to catch it. "I'm not some second backup. I'm ME. I'm not anyone else. Just me …"

Suddenly, Hiei lost it. He turned into a whirlwind, grabbing Eino's shoulders and facing the boy head on, shaking Eino's body almost desperately. His eyes looked almost desperately into the youths startled, scared ones. "You ARE Kurama. It's true. You can deny it all you want, but that won't change what you are …" The fire demon's body slid to his knees, letting his hands drag across Eino's sweater. "Don't deny it. Please … It … It hurts too much …"

Yusuke and Kuwabara looked down at Hiei in surprise and bewilderment. Never, in their entire 16 years spent working with the fire demon had they ever seen him act like this. It was too out of character for them to feel right, and unease settled in over the party along with an odd silence.

Yusuke glanced over at Eino, who looked down at Hiei with downcast eyes, making it nearly impossible to tell what he was thinking, his expressions carefully schooled. 

"Kurama …," the black haired detective began almost guiltily, holding out a hand timidly toward the boy.

Eino's head flew up, making Yusuke's hand fly back in startlement. There was a picture smeared on the boy's face that Yusuke had never expected to see. It was a picture of resentment and his eyes were almost filled with a hatred. 'Toward me?' Yusuke thought in startlement. 'Why?'

"Shut up!" Eino snarled furiously at him. "Don't call me that! What do you know?! What do any of you know?!" He yelled, directing this comment downwards to the fallen fire demon. "You don't understand! You CAN'T! So don't act like you do!"

And with that, he whirled around, stalking out of the front yard and down the street, away from his own house and the rest of the group. It would have been easy for any of them to catch up to him, but they let him go. No one moved. 

"Well," Kuwabara said, letting out a long held back sigh. "That went well."

"Not a chance, Kuwabara," Yusuke told him, still starring off to where Eino had disappeared around the corner. "Not a chance."

Hiei didn't say anything.

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"Eino!" a cry admitted from behind him, as the black haired boy slowly swung his leather schoolbag back and forth with his pace. He slowly turned around and slowed his walking speed down slightly, waiting for his friend to catch up.

When he reached his side, Mido panted tiredly, wiping some invisible sweat from his forehead with the sleeve of his school uniform. "Geez!" he complained, grinning widely at his friend as they walked slowly down the sidewalk. "You're supposed to wait for me remember? We walk home together everyday after school and have done so for the past four years!"

"Hn?" Eino looked up from the ground distractedly. "Oh. Sorry," and went back to staring at the floor.

Mido watched his friend concerned. "Hey, are you alright? You've been acting really weird lately.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Eino told him quietly.

Mido frowned deeper and tried a different approach. "Is the ground that much more interesting then me?" he forced himself to laughed, trying to keep the mood light. It was fortunate that he was such a good actor.

"I'm sorry, Mido," Eino said, lifting his eyes from the ground and looking out in front of the two of them instead. 

"Rough day?" the brown haired asked.

"Rough WEEK," Eino laughed, which came out more like a forced bark. 

"Care to share? Sometimes that helps."

Eino thought back to the Spirit World, Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei, and all the rest of them. Mido was right. Telling him about everything that had happened, including the talk the four had had that day, five days ago. But … no. He wasn't supposed to say anything about it, and he would keep his promise. It wasn't worth it for the word to get around just because of his own selfish reasons. Not that he had any doubt that Mido wouldn't keep it a secret if he asked. But you could just never tell …

"No," he told Mido. "That's alright."

They came to a stop next to a stop sign, where there was an intersecting of the roads. "This is my turn off," Eino said with a wave. "I'll see you later, okay?"

And with that, Eino turned and disappeared. Mido stood there for a moment. Starring down the street. Something was wrong. There was no denying it. Something was very, seriously wrong, and he had a feeling that it didn't only involve Eino … but maybe … just maybe … himself too.

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Okay everyone,

A new chapter is up!!! This is the third to the last chapter, and I already have the ending planned out. Well, this is technically the second to last chapter, because the last is an epilogue, but since that basically clears up the entire truth about the rest of the story, and it's so important, it should really count … just my illogical logic for you (any of my friends recognize this saying, wink wink)!

The next chapter should be up on Tuesday or Wednesday, but since I'm going on a camping trip this weekend, I can't necessarily guarantee it.

Chat soon,

Dream

P.S. Don't assume anything! This story purposely contradicts itself may times!!!!

P.S.S. Maybe I should have put up "mystery" instead… 


	9. Fall

Disclaimer: You know the drill…

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Mido cracked open the white front door, peaking inside for any signs of life. After a quick glance around the living room and listening for sounds from the kitchen, he stepped cautiously inside.

Dipping inside the kitchen doorway, he grabbed a bowl of instant ramen, pausing only for a second to poor in the hot water. Then he pounded up the stairs as fast as he could, ignoring the jabbing pains his backpack made as it whacked against his back. A little splash of the noodles made a mark on his uniform, but he ignored it, making a leap for the doorway to his room.

Only when his doorway was all the way closed, did Mido relax. Letting his backpack slide to the ground with a thump, he threw himself onto his bed, steadying his ramen so as to make sure it didn't spill. Then, turning himself onto his back, he proceeded to eat his ramen upside down, an ability that had taken many years to master.

'Living in a house with MY father, is like living in a dungeon,' he thought, starring up at the ceiling. 'Only with a lot of guards and dragons roaming around.'

Getting caught by his father would not be a pretty sight, particularly if he had just come back from the bar. There were no doubts in Mido's mind, that if his father caught him, tomorrow at school he would have several large, red welts.

'It's not that I love him that I don't turn him into the authorities,' he told himself. 'And it's not that I hate him either. It's just that he's all I have left. All that I have left in my life that MEANS something. If my father left, everything would change. I'd change schools, leave my friends, go to live with people I've never even met. If I lost all that, what would I live for? What COULD I live for?'

But something unexpected popped into Mido's mind, something from the deepest part of his subconscious. 'You could live for yourself,' it told him. 'What else can you live for anyway?'

'Nonsense,' he scolded himself. 'That's just selfish.'

But the little voice chided back, 'But is it? Don't you have the right to live for yourself, and only yourself. If only to see what you become as you grow older? What knowledge you can gain, what job you'll get, the places you go the people you see? Live only TO live, and life will become a wonderful thing. Because, you see, you'll always succeed in living, so long as you try.'

Mido found that there was no arguing with that.

Sighing at his own stupidity of talking himself, Mido sighed, heading downstairs to throw his empty ramen cup away.

It was there he made his mistake. He headed into the kitchen, tossed the can into the trash beneath the sink, then headed back up to his room. But, deep in his own thoughts, he forgot to gently close the kitchen door. The wind swiftly closed it with a loud BANG, rattling the entire room. Mido winced, and then held his breath, hoping, PRAYING that his father hadn't heard. 

"Mido!" a shout rang out from the study. 

'No such luck,' Mido thought with a sigh, heading over to the room the shout came from, not slowly, but certainly not hurrying.

"Mido, you there?!" he yelled again.

"Yes, Father," he said, looking down at the man in the green, easy chair. His father was a large man, with short black hair, and a large nose. The room was filled with the stench of liquor, which made Mido's stomach turn queasily.

"What took you so long?" he demanded. Then, without waiting for an answer, asked gruffly, "where were you all day?"

Mido, without meaning to, answered sarcastically, "School. I'm there every weekday, remember?"

His father jumped up out of his chair at that remark. "Getting smart with me, eh?" he snapped. Then taking an advancing step, announced gruffly, "Maybe you need to be taught a lesson!"

Mido whimpered slightly, but didn't object as his father grabbed the front of his uniform, hauling him up into the air by his collar. His father raised back his hand to slab him across the face, and Mido closed his eyes, awaiting the pain that he knew would be coming.

Then his inner voice spoke up. 'What are you doing, you fool! Don't be an idiot, remember what I told you!' and suddenly he felt a power course through his veins, and everything changed.

His body suddenly changed, and he felt lighter, more lean. His mind seemed to blaze and all colors swarmed passed him, showing pictures, things and people from the past. His brown hair lengthened, and turned a deep red, as his body grew and became more lean. The color of his eyes, although they were closed, turned from dark brown, to a bright, blazing green. And not only did his body changed, so did his memories.

Mido, or Kurama, opened his eyes and blinked. Standing before him was his father, or one of them, who was inching slowly away, looking at him in horrified way.

"W- what?" he stuttered, barely able to manage any words. "W-what-"

But that was all he said. In a sudden flash, a streak of black appeared in the room, and by them, knocking his father down to the floor, unconscious. 

There next to the desk stood Hiei, starring at Mido/Kurama, with wide, surprised eyes.

Then, he said in realization eyes wide and mouth shocked, "Eino's not Kurama. You are."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Hey, hey, hey!

I'm not sure if you'd all consider this a cliff hanger, but I certainly think it qualifies! Anyhow, this is the last "official" chapter, the next one is kind of the last, tie 'er up, epilogue. Unfortunately, since I'm going on a week long trip, it won't be up until 27th or the 29th of July! Sorry!!!! But I promise it'll be really good and explain everything!!!!

Also, for all you fans of Fox Child, I've had a case of writer's block with it, and with me being gone and all, I won't be able to update at least until the 27th or 29th! Sorry for the inconvenience!!!

I think that's it for now! And by the way, Taby: you were a lot closer then I ever expected anyone to get!!!

Talk in a week!

Dream


	10. Down

Disclaimer: How sad! This is the last time I have to write one for this story!!!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

When Hiei and Kurama stepped into Koenma's office, Yusuke, Kuwabara, Botan, Koenma (naturally; it IS his office), and surprisingly, Eino, glanced up at the doorway where the two entered. While their glances were intended to be only that, they turned into hard, long, and shocked stares.

"Oh my goodness," Botan gapped. "Hiei, is that KURAMA?!?!" The other's shocked expressions seemed to ask the exact same question, only all of them were completely and utterly speechless.

Hiei smirked at the rest of them, a rare expression for the usually solemn fire demon. "Kind of," he said. "Why don't you show them, MIDO?"

Kurama smiled softly, then embraced himself in a light that formed around him, completely clouding the other's vision of him. Then, the fog built of light, slowly disintegrated, leaving only a young, brown haired teenager in its place, smiling the exact same soft grin that his predecessor had worn.

If at all possible, the rest of the group gaped even more, as Hiei's smirk transformed itself into a grin.

Eino was the first to find his voice. "MIDO?!?!" he gaped, at a complete loss. "What-," he began. "What-"

"What in the seven hells is going on here?!?!" Yusuke shouted, as blunt as always.

"Everyone," Hiei began, feeling as though he would burst with happiness. "Meet Mido slash Kurama."

"What!" Koenma yelled. "But I thought Mido-"

"Allow me to explain," Mido smiled, taking a step forward and looking around the room. "I am Mido, Eino's friend, formally known in my past life as Kurama."

"But what about Eino!" Kuwabara stuttered. "He's the one that has Kurama's memories."

"That's because he is the descendent of an energy stealing demon," Hiei spoke up. "But because he's only part demon, he's powers are different. He still steals energy, but only subconsciously."

"What does that have to do with the memories?"

"Like I said, his powers are different. In addition to stealing energy, Eino also takes some memories, apparently the kind that are mostly connect to Mido's energy. Remember you said that Eino was never very fond of his father, even though his father never did anything wrong? That was taken from Mido, since he carries such a displeasure towards his own father."

Eino cocked his head to the side, deep in thought. "That makes sense I suppose," he said finally.

"So let me get this strait," Koenma demanded. "Eino's memories aren't his own, but stolen from Mido, who took them from his past life as Kurama." He raised his eyebrow, skeptical. 

Mido shrugged. "I know it sounds far out," he told them, "but it's true."

"I'll take your word for it," Koenma said, sighing heavily.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Ring around the Rosy

Pockets full of Hosey

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Hey, Kurama?" Hiei began, as the two lay stretched out on a couch in Kuwabara's house, resting after the long, hectic day. Mido was back in his Kurama form, his red hair spread out on the brown pillow like a fan.

"Yeah?" the fox asked.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Kurama puzzled.

"For rejecting you. For saying that I didn't love you," Hiei told him, doing a remarkable job of keeping himself calm.

Kurama smiled gently at his black haired friend. "That's alright," he told him. "I understand. You can't help who you love."

"No," Hiei said, shaking his head. "You don't understand. That's not what I'm apologizing for."

"What do you mean?" Kurama frowned.

"Because I do love you. I was lying." And with that, he swooped up the red head in a passionate kiss.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Ashes, ashes

We all fall down … sometimes.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

THE END

And there you have it folks! The end of my beloved story! It's so sad!!!! *bawl bawl bawl*  But at least it ended well, and it was the exact length I wanted it. I was also incredibly surprised at how close Kisaru was to the truth! Heck, she practically figured it out! Geez, the whole point was to NOT be obvious!!!

It's possible that I'll make a sequel, but I'd like to know how many of you are interested, so if you could let me know through reviews, that'd be great. Unfortunately, I have absolutely, positively no idea what the sequel would be about, so if I end up making one, it might take a few weeks for me to start the first chapter! So stay tuned, and keep checking my stories!

I'd also like to take this chance, to advertise my other stories. Fox Child is my main story, and updated more then any of my others. Fire Thief, Fox Child's parallel, will be updated soon, I just have to get an idea or two of where to go from there. Suggestions would be appreciated! Email me with ideas, for either the sequel to this, or Fire Thief. Remember that Fire Thief is a parallel, which mean it cannot alter Fox Child's story line. In other words, Kurama won't reappear for at least a few chapters to come. I do not want Fire Thief, or Fox Child for that matter, to focus on Kurama and Hiei's relationship. They are for single characters.

In addition, I'd like to let you all know that I've been planning a new story line for Kurama/Hiei, so keep checking in! The first chapter will probably be up within a week, k?

As a final note, I'd like to thank all the people who reviewed this story and any of my others! 

A final love and kisses, loyal fans, and keep checking my stories for new stuff!

Dream Fox


	11. Extra Stuff

Okay, I seriously wasn't intending to write another chapter for Ashes Ashes, but then I heard the song Gravedigger, and I absolutely HAD to put it up, because it reminded me so much of this story. So, here it is:
    
    Cyrus Jones 1810 to 1913
    
    Made his great grand children believe you could live to a hundred and three
    
    A hundred and three is forever when you're just a little kid
    
    so Cyrus Jones lived forever
    
    Gravedigger
    
    When you dig my grave
    
    Could you make it shallow
    
    So that I can feel the rain
    
    Gravedigger
    
    Muriel Stonewall 1903 to 1954
    
    She lost both of her babies in the Second Great War
    
    Now you should never have to watch your only children lowered in the ground
    
    I mean you should never have to bury your own babies
    
    Gravedigger
    
    When you dig my grave
    
    Could you make it shallow
    
    So that I can feel the rain 
    
    Gravedigger
    
    Ring around the rosies 
    
    Pocket full of posies
    
    Ashes to ashes
    
    We all fall down
    
    Gravedigger
    
    When you dig my grave
    
    Could you make it shallow
    
    So that I can feel the rain
    
    Gravedigger
    
    Little Mickey Carson '67 to '75
    
    He rode his bike like the devil till the day he died
    
    When he grows up he wants to be Mr. Vertigo on the flying trapeze
    
    Nineteen forty to nineteen ninety.... two
    
    Gravedigger
    
    When you dig my grave
    
    Could you make it shallow
    
    So that I can feel the rain
    
    I can feel the rain
    
    I can feel the rain
    
    Gravedigger
    
    When you dig my grave
    
    Could you make it shallow
    
    So that I can feel the rain
    
    Gravedigger
    
    Gravedigger

Gravedigger

Isn't that wonderful! It just sent chills up my spine! Well, I suppose it's better outloud, but still!

And by the way, as far as a sequel goes, I'm not going to start one for a month or two, 'cause schools about to start, I need to write some short stories for a contest, I wanted to start a new Kur/Hiei soon, and I still have Fire Thief and Fox Child to work on (which I really HAVE to update soon, I'm just soooo lazy)

Talk soon and review if you've got questions or anything to say!

Dream Fox

P.S. Oh, and by the way, I don't own the song either. I forget who its by, but if you want to know, email or review me, and I'll email you back


End file.
